This invention relates to cleaner/degreaser compositions and, more particularly, to such compositions which are formulated to contain no or low amounts of volatile organic compounds and yet exhibit excellent cleaner/degreaser efficacy.
It is common knowledge that volatile organic compound emissions pose an environmental hazard. It would be environmentally desirable and beneficial to develop cleaner/degreaser compositions which contain no volatile organic compounds or small amounts thereof and in which the organic components are fully and readily biodegradable, non-volatile (e.e. have little or no vapor pressure at ambient temperatures and pressures), environmentally safe and non-toxic, effective and efficient in promoting cleaning/degreasing in the most difficult industrial applications, easily and readily formulated into stable, aqueous-based compositions, compatible with other commonly used builders, chelants and other components, and shelf and freeze/thaw stable.
While aqueous cleaner/degreaser compositions have been developed which exhibit superior cleaning and degreasing capability (e.g. see my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,822, 5,080,831, 5,158,710 and 5,419,848), such compositions preferably contain volatile organic solvents such as 2-phenoxyethanol, 1-phenoxy-2-propanol, benzyl alcohol, .beta.-phenylethanol, acetophenone or the like.
There is a continuing need, therefore, for cleaner/degreaser compositions with efficacious cleaning and degreasing capability but which contain no or only low and acceptable amounts of volatile organic compounds.